Pesticide contamination and antimicrobial resistance: Two threats to the Neotropical Otter (Lontra longicaudis) in the Peñas Blancas River Basin, Costa Rica.

The effects of synthetic pesticides on antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in bacterial communities from contaminated waters are unclear. Otters in the Peñas Blancas basin encounter various anthropogenic residues, including pesticides. In 2022, we analyzed the presence of pesticides in six water samples and ARGs in eight otter fecal samples. Thirteen pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and multi-target) and seven ARGs (qnrS, tetA, tetB, tetQ, tetW, sulI, sulII) were detected. Regulated pesticides such as chlorpyrifos and ethoprophos, along with diazinon, diuron, imidacloprid, and terbutryn were found. These pesticides have been implicated in promoting antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria, particularly when combined with sub-lethal doses of antibiotics. Elevated levels of ethoprophos (0.67 ng/L) and a fecal sample containing four ARGs (tetA, tetB, sulI, and sulII) came from the upper basin. Our findings reveal pesticide application practices in the region, and highlight the potential risk of pesticide exposure to wildlife, including development of AMR.